


from the rain

by ienablu



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Trek Fusion, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2014-05-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 17:26:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1656530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ienablu/pseuds/ienablu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Outside a bar, new Starfleet graduates Mako and Chuck wait for their rides.</p>
            </blockquote>





	from the rain

**Author's Note:**

> I did far more worldbuilding than necessary for this fic, and now can't stop.

Mako is enveloped in a warm buzz as she finishes off her third Cardassian Sunrise. The engineering tract she graduated with planned out their celebrations meticulously – calling in a communication lieutenant commander to chaperone them, planning out which bars they would crawl to at one time, agreeing to a three-drink limit at all establishments.

But for all the celebrations are planned to go all night, Mako has plans for a quiet breakfast with her father. And while she is sure he would understand, their time together is often limited, and she would prefer not to spend it hungover.

As everyone is rounded together for their next stop, Mako's intention to stay behind is met with dismay, and attempts to persuade her into just one more bar.

Tendo waves off their protests, and tells them to go wait outside. Once they've all filed out, he turns back to Mako. "You've texted the Admiral to pick you up?"

Mako nods. "He said he is finishing up an errand, and he will pick me up when he is done."

"Want someone to wait with you until he arrives?"

She shakes her head. "It should not be long."

Tendo nods. "I'll let you be, then." His face breaks into a grin. "Congratulations, Mako."

She is happily buzzed and she has always been fond of Tendo, and so she leans in, and hugs him quickly. "Thank you, Tendo."

He laughs, and ruffles her hair. "Get yourself another drink, kid, you deserve it. I won't tell." And then he's calling for stragglers, and jaunting out the door.

Mako sits herself down at the bar, and smiles at the bartender. "I would like a Klabnian fire tea, please."

"On the house," the bartender says. "Your crew was a damn sight better than the command tract that came through before."

Mako hides a smile as the shot is put down in front of her. That had been the plan.

The Klabnian fire tea burns as it goes down, enough to make her eyes water and her skin tingle with heat, almost uncomfortably so. She smiles politely at the bartender, slides down from the barstool, and concentrates on walking in a straight line. The sound of rain greets her as she opens the door, the cool air washing over her as she slips outside.

Mako sighs in relief. The rain has been steadily getting heavier over the past few hours, and the roof overhang is enough to keep her dry.

After a few moments of cooling down, Mako takes a step to the right, away from the door, so to not block the path of future patrons.

It seems like she is not the only one with the idea.

Chuck is sitting against the wall a few feet away. His gaze is too intent on the street in front of them for him not to have noticed her.

"Chuck," Mako greets, because after everything, it seems courteous.

He looks up at her. "Mori," he says, before turning his gaze back to the street.

"Are you waiting for your ride?" Mako asks.

He glances up at her, eyebrow raised, then turns back to the street again. "My uncle Scott's coming to pick me up."

Mako's mouth thins. She has heard about Chuck's uncle Scott, many times, and many times in an unfavorable light.

Her phone buzzes, and Mako pulls it out of her sweater pocket. 'When shall I leave to pick you up?'

'I will text you when I am ready,' Mako replies. The heat of the fire tea has worn off, and she pulls on her sweater. After a moment, she takes a step closer to Chuck, and sits down beside him. "How long have you been waiting?"

The toes of Chuck's shoes are damp, and he's shivering slightly. "Not long," he lies.

Mako nods.

"The Admiral coming to pick you up?" Chuck asks, a few beats later.

Mako nods again. "He is still running a few errands," she lies. "He will be here when he can."

Chuck makes a noise in the back of his throat.

"And congratulations, by the way," Mako adds, carefully. "I saw your listing amongst the command class. Your scores were remarkable."

"And you were at the top of the entire class."

"Third," she corrects.

He gives her a dirty look, and leans back against the wall. "Congrats."

"Enjoy your celebration?"

"Yeah. Not much to celebrate, though. Plenty of cadets graduate. I want to get through the Command School in three years. I'm gonna take a week or two off, then start in the reading. Required reading should be a breeze, but the recommended reading is pretty hefty."

"You have done remarkably," Mako repeats, because a part of her knows that he does not hear it enough.

Chuck snorts.

The rain drums on, dull on the roof ahead, sharp on the concrete in front of them. The asphalt in front of them is a shining black, reflecting the neon blue of the bar's sign, interrupted only by the white light of headlights.

Another gaggle of graduates make their way to the bar door, laughing, the background noise growing louder for a few moments, then quieting with a thump as the door closes.

Mako pulls her sweater in closer.

"You should go back inside, until the Admiral shows."

It is Mako's turn to look at him with an upturned eyebrow. "And why do you not do the same?"

"Because I don't fucking want to."

"Perhaps it is the same for me."

Chuck snorts. "When was the last time you've even said fuck?"

"Fuck."

Chuck seems amused.

There is enough of a lingering bite from the alcohol for Mako to add, "And fuck you."

"Fuck you too," Chuck replies easily. "And I don't know what kind of errands the Admiral has, but I'm guessing most places he frequents would be closed by midnight. I don't need your company, so you can call, get your ride, and go on your celebratory lap together."

Mako frowns. "When is Scott coming?" she asks.

He turns to her, and he tells her, "Whenever he fucking feels like it. Might be a while, I'm just waiting until the rain dies down and I can start walking back."

This is the first time he has looked at her fully, and Mako sees that the right side of his face is a mess of bruises. "The rain is projected until morning."

"Then I guess I'll be here for some time."

Mako pulls out her phone, and texts her father to come get her.

"The Admiral has rented a nice flat for the ceremony," Mako starts.

"Don't."

"I am sure he wouldn't mind—"

"Drop it."

"He would not mind allowing you to stay the night."

"Just fucking drop it."

Mako goes quiet.

The minutes pass quietly, before a black car pulls up, parks. Mako rises gracefully to her feet. "If you change your mind, I have not changed my number."

Chuck grunts, his gaze somewhere between his toes and the line of the rain on the sidewalk.

Mako braces herself for the rain, then hurries over to the car.

Her father is smiling at her. "Mako," he greets. He reaches over, gives her a one-armed hug. "Congratulations. Did you enjoy your night out?"

She nods. 

He looks past her, out the window. "Is Chuck alright?" he asks.

"He is waiting for his uncle to pick him up," Mako says.

He nods, and turns off the ignition. Then he reaches behind Mako's seat, and pulls out a data pad.

"I do not think it would be wise to confront Scott directly."

"Nor I," he agrees, easily. He spends a few minutes typing on the data pad. Afterwards, he slides his data pad back into place. "I take it you would not mind if we were to wait a few minutes to make sure Scott will make it here in a timely fashion."

Mako gives him a small smile, then goes back to looking out her window.

A minute later, Mako watches as Chuck pulls his phone out, answers it. He snaps it shut soon after, and pushes himself to his feet, stretching.

The rain drums on the roof of the car, the sound tinny and loud.

"Will Captain Hansen be able to make it down anytime this weekend?"

"He is trying," her father says, and he sounds tired.

Mako does not push.

Seven and a half minutes later, a motorcycle pulls up behind them, and idles.

Chuck pushes off the wall, and stalks over. In the car door mirror, Mako watches as Chuck climbs on behind Scott. A few seconds later, the motorcycle zips past them.

Her father starts the ignition, and Mako tips her head back against the headrest, and sighs. She feels tired.


End file.
